Combination tissue dispensing and disposal container



June 25, 1963 s. M. YATES 3,095,087

COMBINATION TISSUE DISPENSING AND DISPOSAL CONTAINER Filed Jan. 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 cu INVENTOR SAM M. YATES June 25, 1963 s. M. YATES 3,095,798?

TISSUE DISPENSIN SAM M. YATES 3395,68? Patented June 25, 1963 3,095,087 COMBINATION TISSUE DISPENING AND DHSPOSAL CONTAINER Sam M. Yates, 1315 Delafield Place NW., Washington 11, D.C. Filed Ian. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 1,916 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-57) This invention relates to a container for paper tissues and the like, and more particularly to a container having a sanitary disposal means in combination therewith.

Disposable containers for paper tissues are in wide use today and have met with great public acceptance. One of the major uses for these containers is that of providing low cost paper tissues which may be used for many wiping and cleaning purposes as well as for disposable handkerchiefs. Since these tissues may be discarded immediately after use, they are highly desirable for uses wherein the tissue becomes contaminated or extremely soiled. The disposal of the tissue results in prevention of contamination of other articles and, therefore, is very sanitary.

Many occasions arise wherein there are no available sanitary disposal means or containers, such as during travel in an automobile. In such cases the person using the tissue has a tendency to merely dispose of it by dropping it out of the window of a car or place it in an open paper bag. As a result, these tissues are allowed to contaminate the surrounding area.

It has been proposed to provide a disposal compartment within the tissue container itself, thereby providing a means wherein the entire box can be discarded With the soiled and contaminated tissues therein when the clean tissues are exhausted. However, one major drawback has been that the soiled tissues placed in the box contaminate the unused clean tissues remaining the same box.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a combination tissue dispensing and disposal container.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combination dispensing and disposal container having a means for preventing contamination of the unused tissues by the soiled tissues.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combination dispensing and disposal container wherein a movable partition forces the clean tissues upwardly as the soiled tissues are placed in the disposal part of the container.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive sanitary disposal means which may be adapted for use in any of the well known tissue boxes available at the present time.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a combination dispensing and disposal tissue container which presents a normal appearance and which may be packed and shipped in a normal manner with no susbtantial increase in the volume of the container.

These objects, as well as other advantages, will become more clearly apparent as the description of an embodiment of the invention proceeds.

In the drawings, like reference characters have been used to indicate corresponding parts where practical.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention with one end of the box removed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom of the box partially broken away;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the box taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of another embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of the partition used within the box with the expansible box attached thereto.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, FIG.

1 shows a rectangular box 11, which may be made of any semi-rigid material such as cardboard, having a top portion 15 and side portions 13. The end portion of the box has been removed in the drawing in order to show a movable partition 19 having subtending flaps 21. The partition 19 is substantially parallel to the top 15 of the box and the subtending flaps 21 are in peripheral contact with the sides 13 of the box, the partition being movable between the top and the bottom of the box. The unused tissues, which are not shown in FIG. 1 for purposes of clarity are placed within the box before the same is sealed and rest on the top of the partition 19. An aperture such as the opening 17 is provided in the top of the box for access to the clean tissues. This aperture may be sealed off prior to using the box in any well known manner such as a perforated tear-out portion therein. As will be noted, the subtending flaps 21 create a small, minor compartment 25 in the lower part of the box. A portion of one of the flaps is shown partially broken away to indicate an expansible bag 27 which is sealed within this compartment as will be more clearly apparent with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5.

FIG. 2 shows the box 11 in a perspective view of the bottom thereof and FIG. 3 shows an end view taken through section lines 33 of FIG. 2. An aperture 29 is also provided in the bottom portion 23. A flap 31, having the same configuration as aperture 29 may be provided with a fold line 32 in order to allow access to the lower compartment of the box which is created by the partition 19.

An expansible bag like container 27 is secured to the lower inside face of partition 19 and to the inner face of the bottom 23 of the box. The bag has dimensions such that it is substantially the same size, when expanded, as that of the interior of the major box 11. The expansible container may be of any of the well known materials such as plastic, foil, wax paper or the like. Prior to the removal of any of the clean tissues 33, the bag is in its compressed position shown in FIG. 1, and it is sealed to the partition and to the bottom of the box with the intermediate portions being pleated in an accordion fashion so that the bag freely expands as the partition moves toward the upper part of the box. In FIG. 2 the partition is shown as having moved partially toward the upper part of the box with some of the clean tissues 33 having been removed. The soiled tissues are not shown in FIG. 2 and the expansible container 21 is shown as being of a clear plastic material for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 3 shows an end sectional view of the box with soiled tissues 35 in the lower compartment thereof. The expansible container 27 has an opening 37 which matches the opening 29 in the lower portion of the box in order that the opening of flap 31 also provides access to the inner part of the expansible bag 27. This opening in the bag 27 is shown in FIG. 5 with the bag secured to the inner face of the partition 19.

The partition 19 may be made of any material which is at least semi-rigid. The partition 19 performs several important functions. The subtending flaps 21 provide a bearing surface against the sides of the box 11 which aid in maintaining the partition in a substantially parallel parallel relationship to the top of the box. In addition, these flaps also provide a small compartment 25 prior to use of the clean tissues. It has been found that this small starting compartment is necessary in order to prevent the binding of the clean tissues against the top of the box 15 by insertion of the soiled tissues in the aperture 29.

As previously noted, placing of the soiled tissues through the aperture and into the expansible container 27 creates a pressure on partition 19 which forces the partition to move toward the top of the box. The fact that the 3 partition 19 is of a semi-rigid material has a tendency to distribute this pressure over the length and the width of the partition and thus moves the tissues upwardly over their entire area without creating a binding effect at any one particular point in the box. If the partition were not used the expansible bag would tend to merely contain the soiled tissues at the point wherein they were placed through the aperture and create extreme difficulty in removing the unused tissues from the top of the box.

The expansible container 27 may be secured to the partition and to the bottom of the box in any well known manner. If an adhesive is to be used the particular composition could be chosen which is the most desirable for the'material being used. It has also been found that if a paper container is to be used it is desirable to have a wax type finish on the inner part of the container in order to aid in the insertion of the used tissues.

The partition itself may be made from a single piece of semi-rigid material having fold lines thereon wherein the outer portion may be bent inwardly to create the depending -flap area. The flaps may be secured together at their junction points if desired but this is not necessary for proper operation.

As will now be apparent, the disposal portion of the box has an enclosed member therein having only one access thereto, such as through aperture 29. Therefore, the soiled tissues are completely sealed off from the clean tissues Within the box and prevent any contamination of the clean tissues.

FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment of the invention wherein the bottom of the box 41 is formed of a semirigid material having an accordion pleat 51 around its periphery with depending flaps 49 which are secured to the outer portions of the box 45. The accordion pleat could also be formed of an adhesive material which would be secured to bottom member 47 and to the sides 45 if so desired. It is noted that, in this embodiment, the flaps 55 of partition 53 extend upwardly since the accordion pleat 51 provides the necessary small compartment for preventing the binding of the clean tissues. The flexible bag 59 in this embodiment surrounds the clean tissues and is secured between the upper face of the partition and the inner face of the top 43 of the box. The top of the box has an aperture 57 therein similar to aperture 17 in the box shown in FIG. 1. The flexible container 59 may be of the same material as that used in the previous embodiment but, as shown in FIG. 4, it is in an expanded condition and, as the partition 53 moves upwardly, the flexible container 59 will compress. When the flexible container is used to surround the clean tissues it has been found desirable to provide a waxed surface or the like on the bottom of partition 53 and the inner face of the bottom of the box 47 in order to aid in depositing the tissue throughthe opening in the bottom 47 (not shown).

It is to be understood that the opening in the bottom porr tion 47 may be similar to that shown in the previous embodiment.

As is obvious, the flexible container may be used in either the upper or lower compartment in the embodiment of FIG. 1 and also in the embodiment of FIG. 4 according to the preference of the manufacturer. In either case the clean tissues are kept in a sanitary condition by avoiding contamination by the used tissues.

It is to be understood that I do not intend to be limited to the exact details or construction as shown and described in the specification and drawings since obvious modification will occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A disposable container for paper tissue comprising a major closed compartment having a top, bottom and sides, a semi-rigid movable partition having depending flaps in slidable contact with the sides of said container for forming upper and lower minor compartments within said major compartment, said partition being in substantially parallel relationship with said top and said bottom, a folded expansible closed container within said lower minor compartment and secured only to said partition and the inner face of said bottom for providing an airtight seal between said upper and lower minor compartments, an aperture in said top and an aperture through said bottom and the portion of said expansible container secured thereto whereby access to Said expansible container is provided only through said bottom.

2. A container for paper tissue comprising a closed box having four sides and a top and a bottom, a movable partition within said box substantially parallel to said top and bottom, a pliable enclosure secured between said movable partition and providing a seal between said partition and said bottom, an aperture through said top and an aperture through said bottom and the portion of said enclosure secured to said bottom.

3. A container for paper tissue comprising a substantially rectangular closed box, a partition within said box in abutting relationship with the sides of said box, said partition being substantially parallel to and movable between the top and bottom portions of said box, a folded expansible closed container within said box and sealed to said partition and the inner face of said bottom, said expansible container having substantially the same proportions as said box when in its expanded condition.

4. A container for paper tissue comprising a substantially rectangular box having four side portions and two opposed faces, a semi-rigid partition within said box in abutting relation to said side portions for providing a first and second compartment within said box, said partition being substantially parallel to and slidable between said opposed faces, an expansible closed container sealed to the inner side of one of said opposed faces and to said slidable partition, and an aperture in each of said opposed faces, the aperture in said one of said opposed faces extending through the portion of said expansible container sealed thereto.

5. A container for paper tissue comprising a substantially rectangular box having four side portions and two opposed faces, a partition within said box substantially parallel to and movable between said opposed faces for providing a first and second compartment within said box, an expansible member secured to said partition and to the inner side of one of said opposed faces for creating a sealed enclosure within one of said compartments and an aperture in each of said opposed faces, the aperture in said one of said opposed faces extending through the expansible member sealed thereto.

6. In a container for paper tissue having four sides and two opposed faces, a means for disposal of soiled tissue comprising, a semi-rigid partition within said container in abutting relation with said sides and movable between said opposed faces for forming first and second compartments within said container, an expansible enclosure within said first compartment, said expansible enclosure being secured to said partition and one of said opposed faces, an aperture in said second compartment and an aperture in said first compartment extending through said expansible enclosure.

References Cited in the file of this paten UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,988,939 Craig Jan. 22, 1935 2,841,275 Schwimmer et al. July 1,1958

2,841,276 Schwimmer et al. July 1, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 464,373 Great Britain Apr. 16, 1937 the inner face of said bottom, for 

1. A DISPOSABLE CONTAINER FOR PAPER TISSUE COMPRISING A MAJOR CLOSED COMPARTMENT HAVING A TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDES, A SEMI-RIGID MOVABLE PARTITION HAVING DEPENDING FLAPS IN SLIDABLE CONTACT WITH THE SIDES OF SAID CONTAINER FOR FORMING UPPER AND LOWER MINOR COMPARTMENTS WITHIN SAID MAJOR COMPARTMENT, SAID PARTITION BEING IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID TOP AND SAID BOTTOM, A FOLDED EXPANSIBLE CLOSED CONTAINER WITHIN SAID LOWER MINOR COMPARTMENT AND SECURED ONLY TO SAID PARTITION AND THE INNER FACE OF SAID BOTTOM FOR PROVIDING AN AIRTIGHT SEAL BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER MINOR COMPARTMENTS, AN APERTURE IN SAID TOP AND AN APERTURE THROUGH SAID BOTTOM AND THE PORTION OF SAID EXPANSIBLE CONTAINER SECURED THERETO WHEREBY ACCESS TO SAID EXPANSIBLE CONTAINER IS PROVIDED ONLY THROUGH SAID BOTTOM. 